Finding Out
by Paige242
Summary: Zac is finally forced to tell his parents the truth. (One-shot, very slight spoilers for 2x14)


A/N: VERY SLIGHT spoilers for 2x14 (which has aired in Australia). I don't think it ruins much, but the episode tells us a bit about how Zac was found and I stuck to that.

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 _It is amazing how one little mistake can change everything._

 _On some level, Zac had always known that— but he did not fully realize it until that fateful night…_

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 **PART I**

Although he was always a little bit nervous when Mimmi was around his parents, the evening had been going fairly well.

It had been several months since the night of the "big revelation" in the merman chamber and, while he was still trying to come to terms with everything he had learned about himself, Zac had been coping as best he could. He had more or less forgiven his parents for lying to him and, after an initial few weeks of tension, he had been enjoying his new found sister's company.

Sure, Mimmi was a bit odd—and their shared stubbornness meant that they sometimes clashed. But, overall, it had been nice to have her around. After nearly a year of keeping his secrets pent up whenever he was around his family, it felt good to be completely open with at least one of his relatives. She was the only blood relation he had ever known and, like it or not, she had more in common with him then his land parents ever would.

He loved his parents dearly, of course. No matter what. But even though the adoption was now out in the open, Zac felt the burden of his other secrets on a daily basis.

They had no idea where he had come from.

No idea _what_ he was.

But, as difficult as it was to hide a huge part of his life from them, he had resolved not to tell them the truth. It would violate the number one rule of the mer-world, and would throw him into a complete state of uncertainty.

Zac wished that he could be certain of their acceptance, even if the terrible truth was revealed, but deep down he had no idea how they would react.

Sure, the Blakely's had been happy to find a child to call their own. But would they have been so tolerant if they had known that the child wasn't even part of their species? Zac liked to think that they would have taken him in anyway…but it was a difficult call to make.

They had wanted a regular child. A human child. And they had taken him in under false pretenses made possible by his biological mother's spell.

He wasn't sure what they would do if they ever found out that they had been raising a supernatural creature. A _merman_.

And, quite frankly, he wasn't willing to find out.

It was entirely possible that they would cast him aside— or worse, hand him over to the authorities for testing and examination. He wanted to trust them, of course he did, but it was simply too risky.

For all of them.

So that secret stayed a secret, even after other facts had been revealed.

Thankfully, however, he had been able to get a few smaller things off his chest.

A couple of months ago, after his increasingly frequent meetings with Mimmi began to rouse their suspicion, Zac had finally decided to tell his parents that she was his long-lost sister.

Mimmi had wanted to come clean, and it seemed easier than sneaking around and having whispered conversations. The final straw had come when he heard his mum telling his dad that she suspected Zac was cheating on Evie with "that Canadian girl." He had been insulted by the implication of disloyalty and totally grossed out by the thought of anyone thinking he was involved with Mimmi _like that_.

So the siblings had come up with a cover story to fill in the blanks (they couldn't very well tell them that she was a mermaid who had grown up nearby) and told his parents the truth about their connection.

The Blakely's had been shocked, of course, but they were also excited to discover that their beloved son had a twin sister who had managed to track him down. They wanted to get to know her and, somewhat annoyingly, they insisted that she come over for dinner every Friday. Mimmi—eager to observe more land customs—had quickly agreed.

Needless to say, Zac had been nervous about the situation at first. He had wanted to clear his conscience, but he did not want his parents asking Mimmi too many questions or getting too close. As smart and observant as she was, she had not grown up on land and she could still be a bit unusual at times. During her first few visits, for instance, she had oooed and awwed over many of the Blakely's fancy kitchen gadgets and Zac had hastily explained that she had grown up with foster parents who avoided modern technology. That story helped explain her strange reaction to certain everyday things, but it was still nerve-wracking to have her wandering around his parents' house.

He always worried that she might accidently blurt out something that would give herself away. And if they ever discovered what she was, he was willing to bet that they would be able to put all of the pieces together. They were twins, after all. The charade would be up and he would be exposed.

The thought always made him cringe in fear.

Admittedly, things were improving now that the Friday night ritual had been going on for a few months. Mimmi was getting used to things and was much better at assimilating herself into land culture. Zac was never fully at ease when she was visiting, but he was starting to relax a little bit.

And, despite the stress, he was willing to admit that it was nice to have her there. It was nice to sit around the kitchen table and enjoy a good meal with three of the people he cared about most.

They were _all_ his family, now.

Part of him had even started to look forward to the Friday visits and that warm Friday in October had started as pleasantly as any other.

They had enjoyed a delicious meal of prawns, crayfish and vegetables in the backyard until the sun had started to dip below the horizon. As the insects began to flock around, Zac's mum had suggested that they move inside for some after dinner tea and cakes and they had made their way to the living room, chatting amicably about their plans for the upcoming Halloween. It had been a relaxing evening and nothing his sister said had put him the least bit on edge.

To any onlooker, it would have looked like a perfectly normal family dinner on a perfectly normal Friday night.

 _But then, everything had changed._

 _All it took was a few short seconds and one little splash…_

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 **PART II**

"Would anyone like a bit more tea?" Mrs. Blakely asked, holding up the tea pot as she looked at the three other figures in the room.

Zac shook his head—he was quite full from the dinner, and wasn't much of a tea drinker on the best of days. A quick glance at the clock told him that it was already approaching nine o'clock, and he briefly contemplated sending Evie a text to see if she was up for a late night swim.

He knew that Mimmi had plans with Ondina later (something about finishing up a lotion recipe) and he figured that it might be a nice night to enjoy the moon pool alone with his girlfriend.

"No thank you, Lauren." He heard Mimmi say politely as she placed her empty tea cup down on the table. "I should probably be heading out soon anyway."

His dad let out of sound of protest and turned towards the girl with a mischievous smile. "So soon?" He asked, looking towards the cabinet where the family kept their old photo albums. "But I thought I was finally going to get to show you a few embarrassing photos of your brother before you left today."

Zac groaned dramatically and rolled his eyes. "Daaaad." He whined good-naturedly. His father had been threatening to pull out the old pictures to show Mimmi for the last couple of weeks and Zac was keen to avoid an awkward trip down memory lane.

"Ah, be a good sport, Zac." Rob protested, standing up from his seat on the sofa. "I'm sure she'd love to see a picture of the time you dressed up as a lamb for the school play. It was adorable!"

Mimmi raised an eye brow and Zac let out another huff. He wasn't actually that annoyed, but he didn't want his did to hold up Mimmi either. He began to reply but his sister quickly cut him off.

"I think I could hang around for a minute or two to see that." She replied, offering him a smug smile.

Silently, he wondered if she would be so keen if there were equally embarrassing pictures of her out there. Luckily for Mimmi, mermaids didn't have cameras and her awkward childhood years had gone undocumented. That hardly seemed fair.

"Excellent." Mr. Blakely replied, rubbing his hands in anticipation as he turned towards the cabinet to retrieve the album.

Unfortunately, however, the carpet had become slightly askew and Zac's dad stumbled as his foot got caught on an unexpected bump. He managed to steady himself quickly but his knee jerked forward enough to knock the living room table.

Usually, it would not have been a big deal…but Zac's mum had just put the half-full tea pot back on the table and the knock from his dad's knee was just enough to send some its contents sloshing over the side.

Zac, who had been avoiding stray drops of water for over a year, jerked back instinctively. There was a moment of panic, but a quick pat of his legs told him that he had not been splashed.

He was about to let out a sigh of relief when he glanced towards his sister to see a look of fear etched across her face. For a second, he merely froze—his initial concern with himself had distracted him from her—and, clearly, she had not been as lucky.

Zac could see a fair bit of dark tea dripping from her skirt and onto her legs, and their eyes locked in a moment of panicked understanding.

She needed to get out of the room.

Now.

Heart pounding rapidly in his chest, Zac bolted up from his chair as Mimmi simultaneously jumped from her spot on the couch. He could hear his dad offer an apology, but he was too distracted to really listen.

"Door. This way." He said frantically, grabbing Mimmi's hand and practically dragging her across the room.

Yes, he would have to explain this odd behaviour to his parents later. But anything was better than exposure. They needed to get away and he needed to make sure that she was hidden before she transformed.

"Zac, what is going on?"

Zac knew that his parents were confused but there was no time to turn around and answer. If the siblings could get into the backyard in a few seconds, Mimmi would be cloaked by the darkness until she could activate her invisibility. Then, he could tell them that she had to run and a crisis would be averted.

Frantic, and knowing that there were mere seconds left, they dashed around the dining room table. He could see the back door now and he knew that they were only seconds away from safety. Mentally, he prayed that she would be able to hold on.

Just as he was about to reach for the door knob, however, Zac felt her jerk roughly against his arm.

"Zac." Mimmi yelped.

He could tell from her tone that it was happening and he turned around just in time to see her collapse to the floor.

Her tail hit the hardwood with a loud thwack and he stumbled forward before he finally let go of her hand in mid-fall.

For a second, he was frozen in total shock but a slight tilt of his head brought him crashing back towards the painful reality.

His parents had stepped into the room and their eyes widened as they looked down at the unexpected sight before them.

There was a mermaid on the dining room floor.

His _sister_ was a mermaid on the dining room floor.

And Zac instantly knew that it was all over.

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 **PART III**

It was too late now. The damage had been done.

Heart pounding rapidly in his chest, Zac took a step towards the back door once again, his eyes still glued to the horrific scene before him.

Mimmi was looking up at him with large, apologetic eyes and her mouth opened and closed as she searched for the right thing to say.

They both knew, however, that it was too late for words now.

His parents, meanwhile, were frozen in utter shock. His father was leaning against the door frame for support and his mother had raised her hand on her chest, as if staving off a heart attack.

Zac had never seen them with such bewildered expressions on their faces and he knew that there was no way he would be able to explain this away.

He was totally and utterly screwed.

He needed to get away.

"Zac…what? How?"

He heard his mother stammer out a few shaky words and the sound of her voice jolted him back into action. Although his mind was spinning and he felt completely nauseous, Zac had enough sense to know that he could not answer any of their questions right now.

It was simply too much.

Too overwhelming.

So, rather than face them, he gripped frantically for the door knob and bolted out into the cool night air. The sound of waves rang in his ears as he ran and he contemplated a watery escape. When he was in panic mode, his instincts always told him to dive beneath the waves and shut the world away. The sight of his boathouse, however, directed his mind towards more pressing matters and he made his way to his room as quickly as possible and slammed the door in his wake.

Realistically, he realized that he probably only had a minute, at most, to do what he needed to do and Zac hastily grabbed his nearby backpack. It felt as is everything was happening so fast and it took all of his will power not to collapse into a heap of tears on the floor.

 _Stay strong_ , he told himself, _focus_.

He had been dreading this moment ever since he had first changed—and he had been dreading it even more since he had found out that he was a natural-born merman. At least before, he had thought his transformation was just an accident and had assumed that he was still a land-boy at heart. Still their son. But now he knew that was not the case. He had been born a freak and had never truly belonged with his family.

He had felt the need to hide that at all costs.

Zac knew that time spent around land people—any land people—was risky now. Water was everywhere, and it could be difficult to avoid. But, perhaps he had been smug to think that he had figured things out. He had successfully avoided getting splashed around his parents and he had thought that he had trained himself to be sufficiently alert.

Clearly, however, he had not been vigilant enough. Sure, the mistake had not been his—but he never should have let Mimmi into their house. As much as he loved her and wanted her to be a larger part of his life, it was simply too risky.

And now, everything had come crashing down.

His breathing laboured and his stomach in knots, Zac began to grab as many practical things as he could and shove them into his backpack. He wished that he had more time to sort through his stuff, but he knew that the Blakely's would not be far behind.

He felt bad about leaving Mimmi helpless and legless in the kitchen, but his instincts had taken over. Everything felt so uncertain, but he knew that they wouldn't hurt her. He needed time to gather whatever mementos he could, and then they could flee together.

He wouldn't leave without her.

She was all he had left.

Still frantic, he shoved another handful of clothes into his bag before turning towards the shelf that held his favourite family pictures. It was hard to look at them now—it was hard to remember a time when things had been simpler and they had all been unaware of the truth.

A time when they had loved him…

The sight of the photos instantly made his eyes tingle with unshed tears but he did his best to keep them in check. There would be plenty of time for emotion later.

Swallowing roughly, he grabbed a framed picture of him with his mum and dad and shoved it roughly into the front compartment before zipping it up and throwing it on his back. He was pretty sure that he could hear voices outside now, and he hoped that he could make a dash for the door before they could corner him.

Apparently, however, this was simply not his lucky day.

Before Zac had time to take another step, the boathouse door flung open.

His parents were standing on the landing.

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 **PART IV**

"Zac, what are you doing?"

He bristled at the sound of his father's voice and looked down at the wooden floor. He knew that making eye contact would be a mistake. He couldn't bear the thought of their scrutinizing gazes right now and he was certain that they were already looking at him like the freak that he was.

Zac did not want that to be the last image of them that was seared into his mind.

He needed to get away.

"I'm sorry." He managed to choke, hating how meek and child-like his voice currently sounded. "I'll go."

The boy took a few brusque steps towards the door, intending to push past them as quickly as possible and make a break for it. He knew what was coming, and he could not stomach their questions…or their rejection.

It seemed easier just to leave before things got even more difficult.

It may have been hard, but he was certain that it was for the best.

There was no way that they would want him now that they knew…

"Go? What? Why?" He heard the panic in his mother's voice but he did not dare to look up.

"What is happening right now?" His father followed, taking a step into the room. "Stop dashing around and talk to us, Zac!"

"I…I can't."

Despite his best efforts, Zac felt the first tears begin to overflow. He hated that there was still a note of hope in his father's voice—as if he had not quite figured things out. But it was only a matter of time before the panic wore off and the pieces fell into place.

Ashamed, embarrassed, Zac began to push past them, still resolutely avoiding the sight of their faces. At least he had the photograph. At least he could remember the happy times.

Before he could make it more than a few steps, however, a third figure appeared in the door frame, adding more chaos to the already frantic scene.

"Zac!" Mimmi exclaimed. Clearly, she had had enough time to dry off and was concerned about the aftermath of what had happened inside. Zac could instantly see the fear and panic in her eyes and, despite the levity of the situation, he felt a pang of forgiveness.

She hadn't wanted this to happen. He knew that. And he realized that very little of his current anger and pain was directed towards her. She was at the mercy of their magic just as much as he was and, if he had been sitting in her spot when the tea had spilled, he wouldn't have made it outside in time either.

His parents would have seen his true form. And that was the only thing that could possibly make this situation worse.

"Zac, I'm so sorry! I didn't—"

"It's fine." He replied hastily, finally making his way past his parents. He was next to her now, and she instantly threw her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shirt. Her eyes were red too and it was apparent that she did not take this lightly.

"What's done is done." Zac continued, placing an arm around her shoulder and nudging her forward. "But we need to go."

As if suddenly realizing that they were not actually alone, Mimmi looked towards the Blakley's who were now a couple of feet inside the boathouse, looking at her with astonishment. Her eyes widened in fear and she nodded up at him before grabbing his hand.

Although he desperately wanted to, Zac resisted the urge to look behind him one last time. There was no point in being nostalgic now, he knew.

This place.

This life.

They were no longer his.

Resolved, Zac took his first step away from everything he had ever known.

Before the siblings could make it more than a metere, however, Zac felt his mother grab his shirt with a surprisingly strong grip. He stopped dead in his tracks, surprised—and he did not have the will power to resist as she pulled him into her arms.

For a glorious moment, he felt like a child again and he could almost remember what things had been like before his life had been turned upside down.

"Don't you dare leave this room, Zac Blakely." Lauren said firmly, her left hand reaching up to touch his cheek.

Heart pounding, he reluctantly allowed himself to look at her and he instantly knew that his exit would not be as quick as he had hoped. She looked at him with such confusion and helplessness…and he realized that he couldn't possibly walk out on the woman who had raised him without letting her know why they would no longer want him to be theirs.

As rough as things would be, he owed them at least that much…

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 **PART V**

Naively, Zac had thought that the adoption confession would be the most awkward conversation that ever happened in his boat house.

That had been a terrible day, and he never expected to be sitting in the same chair facing his parents for another difficult conversation.

But there they were.

Back in his room, looking at him with long faces, their hands clasped together for support.

At least last time, he'd had the solace of feeling like the victim. He hadn't done anything wrong, and they had been the ones forced to provide uncomfortable explanations.

Now, however, Zac felt even worse than he had that day (something that he had once thought was impossible). He was the one on the spot and he was the one forced to discuss an even bigger secret.

"What happened in there?"

His dad posed a simple question but, unfortunately, Zac could not provide a simple answer.

He didn't want to to provide an answer…

Zac exchanged a nervous glance with his sister, who had taken a seat at his side. They were both facing his parents. Together. The whole thing had a bit of an "us versus them" feel to it and Zac was thankful to at least have one ally.

At least she would always be there, no matter what.

"I mean, it looked like…but it's not possible." Rob Blakely continued.

There was an awkward pause as Zac looked towards the ceiling wondering, for the umpteenth time turning the past few minutes, how things had become so horrible so quickly. All it had taken was an innocent splash of tea. It seemed impossibly harmless—and yet, this was what his life had become.

"Zac, please explain."

He hesitated again, but a quick glance at his mother's pleading eyes finally pushed him out of his stubborn silence.

She deserves to know, he reminded himself resolutely.

"Mimmi is a mermaid." He said, his words barely audible. It was a difficult thing to say—almost as difficult as admitting what he was— and his heart began to pound even more rapidly than before as soon as the words escaped his lips.

He watched as his parents exchanged a confused glance before starring towards his sister, and he found himself wishing that he was miles away. As he had feared, they were looking at her like she was form another planet and the girl directed her eyes down at the floor awkwardly.

Zac knew that the explanations would not be allowed to end there, however. As fascinated as they were with her, they would have questions about him next. And he wasn't sure if he could deal with that…

He didn't want to have to say it out loud.

He didn't know if he could.

"But…" His mother began slowly, her brow furrowed in confusion. "That's…impossible. They don't exist. I mean…"

Zac cut her off with a scoff. Two years ago, he would have been just as shocked as she was—it was amazing, really, how quickly he had adapted to the revelations. Now, even a hint of denial seemed absurd. Half of his friends were merpeople at this point.

 _He_ was a merperson.

That had become an accepted part of his life. But, he realized, it would take time for them to reach the same point (if they did at all…)

"They exist." He replied, fidgeting nervously with the chair as he tried to ignore the fresh wave of nausea that passed through him. It was difficult, but he was doing his best to fight back tears and stay calm. "I think it is pretty hard to deny it now."

This time, his father spoke. "Something must have happened to her. Some sort of virus or…fungus…or, something." Rob noted as he wracked his brain for a logical explanation. After all, he was a doctor and a man of science. He had never been one who was prone to accept the supernatural. "Maybe we can help cure her."

The boy cringed at the offended look on Mimmi's face. He knew that she would not be pleased with his father's explanations, but there was not time to deal with that now. In truth, Zac felt somewhat offended as well (his tail was certainly not some sort of illness or disease) but he was less surprised than his sister to hear her dad posit those theories.

Zac knew that this would be harder for his dad to admit than it would be for his mum.

Briefly he contemplated letting them go with that explanation. It was possible that they would be able to accept their own delusions for a while and let him live the life he was used to for a little bit longer. It would buy him enough time to pack properly, at least. But, quite frankly, it seemed like it was all just a matter of time now and Zac wanted to get this over with sooner rather than later.

"No." Zac stated, more firmly than before. "She was born like that. She is a mermaid. There is a whole other world out there that land people don't know about."

His eyes darted towards the shore and he hoped that they caught his drift.

From the looks on their faces, he was pretty sure that they had.

"It's true, Mr. and Mrs. Blakely." Mimmi added before giving her brother's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I am. I transform a few seconds after I touch water—which is why we panicked when the tea spilt."

"But then…" His mum began again, her eyes widening as she continued to stare at her son with wonder and confusion. "I mean…isn't she your sister, Zac? Your _twin_ sister."

He could hear her voice waver and he could feel the tears prickling behind his eyes once again.

He knew that the pieces had come together.

She knew.

Hi _mum_ knew.

"Yes." He managed to choke out before rubbing his face to keep it dry. "She is."

There was a poignant pause before his father stood up and let out a quiet huff. "No." The man muttered, bringing a hand to his temple as if to ease a headache. "This is insane. Impossible."

Meanwhile, Mrs. Blakely stayed glued to her seat, her gaze still locked on her (former?) son. He shifted uncomfortably but, unlike before, he did not look away.

He needed to be brave.

He needed to see.

"Then…" His mother began slowly. "Are you…?"

Unable to say it, Zac simply nodded.

Silence fell once more, and it felt like an eternity passed as both of his parents continued to stare. It wasn't quite as bad as he had anticipated, to be honest. They weren't yelling at him yet. And they didn't seem completely disgusted.

They were just…stunned.

He could almost cope with that, despite the fact that they were both looking at him as if they were seeing him for the first time. In a way, he supposed, they were. They had always thought of him as their son—a perfectly normal boy who had been a miraculous answer to their prayers. But now, that image was already becoming difficult to maintain. They were finally, after all of these years, coming face to face with what he really was.

'Zac Blakely' had been forever replaced by 'Zac the freak of nature.'

And there was no turning back.

Once the initial shock wore off, however, there was no telling how they would feel about the situation.

He had a sinking feeling it would not be good. He had always suspected as much.

"I'm sorry." Zac stammered, no longer able to stand the silence. "I haven't even known that long myself, but I should have told you anyway. You didn't ask for this. I know that. You wanted a human baby, not…someone like me. And you never should have been put in this situation, so I understand if…"

"This can't be happening." His father cut him off as he collapsed back down onto the couch, his head still in his hands. "I'm losing my mind. Everyone is losing their minds."

He paused before looking back up towards the teen. "You're human, Zac. Look at you. Of course you are. I don't know what you're on about, but this is crazy. If you and Mimmi need help, I know psychologists who—"

"No." Zac cut him off, more firmly then before. For some reason, it angered him to hear his dad deny the plan facts. As much as Zac didn't want the truth in the open, he was tired of lying and tired of being told he was something that he was not. Nerissa had masked his true identity for sixteen years and, now that the spell was broken, he did not want to live a lie ever again. No matter how much he wished he was human, he knew that he wasn't.

They had to realize that.

They needed to accept, or reject, him for what he truly was.

"We don't need help." He continued, eyes flashing with sincerity. "I was born…I am a…"

Zac drew a deep breath, preparing himself to say three of the hardest words he had ever had to say.

"I'm a merman."

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 **PART VI**

As soon as the word was said out loud, Zac felt an odd sense of relief. This was still a completely terrible situation, of course—and he still felt overwhelmingly sick. But after all of that hiding, all of those secrets, it was satisfying to lay it out there. No matter what the reaction.

In truth, he still couldn't tell what either of his parents was really thinking and he searched their faces, desperate for clues.

His mother still looked stunned, and her mouth had fallen open as soon as he had said it and confirmed her suspicions.

His dad, on the other hand was still shaking his head slowly and muttering to himself—clearly, he had not yet worked past his denial.

Zac was glad that he could sense that much, at least. But he still didn't know what they thought of him now, or what they would think once they had a chance to truly absorb everything.

Was the rejection he had so deeply feared about to come?

His heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest.

"I don't know what you are hoping to accomplish with these silly stories, Zac." His father began, now looking sterner than before. "But I've had enough. Whatever is going—"

"Rob, stop." Zac's mother cut in, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. Her eyes had still not left Zac and she could clearly see the raw emotion etched across his face. She nodded at him, as if in silent understanding, before continuing.

"We…we found him on the beach." His mother said softly. Her voice was calmer than Zac had expected and he could sense that she was putting the pieces together in her mind.

Mr. Blakely let out a huff, but she continued. "I always thought it was odd that someone would leave a helpless baby there…wrapped in a blanket made of seaweed, no less. But then I guess…if she…she didn't want to go far."

Zac had, of course, heard all of this before and had not been surprised to learn that Nerissa had left him close to the shore.

The teen swallowed. The thought of his abandonment still brought a surge of emotion for him but, now that he had begun his confession, it was beginning to feel easier to fill in the details. The Blakely's had done him, and his mother, a huge favour by taking him in—they deserved to have their questions answered.

As much as he wanted to bolt out the door and dive into the sea, he forced himself to stay.

"I don't know much about it." Zac confessed, letting out a loud sigh. "But you're right, it makes sense. I'm told that there was some sort of conflict happening in the oceans where we were born, so our mother brought us here to get away from it. She left me on land, and she sent Mimmi to live with a group of mermaids near Mako Island."

He could see Mrs. Blakely flinch at the mention of his other mother and Zac did his best to muster a sympathetic smile. In an odd way, it was comforting to know that she found it difficult to think about him having another family too—he wanted to be _their_ son. And only theirs.

And perhaps that was what she wanted too.

Even now.

Even after this.

Lauren nodded, doing her best to process this new information. "Do you know where you were born, then?" She asked curiously, looking between the two siblings.

Thankfully, Mimmi answered before he could. It was secondary to his larger confessions but, as a proud Australian, he didn't like talking about that either.

"Near Hudson's Bay." His sister noted. "Off of the northern coast of Ontario."

"In…the water?"

Zac flinched at his mother's next question before managing a nod. Even though he had been doing his best to accept who he was it was still difficult to picture himself as a tiny mer-baby, splashing around in the Canadian oceans with a small blue tail. But, as difficult as it was to imagine, he knew it was how he had begun his life.

"Yes." He replied, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "In the water."

His mother's lips made an "o" shape and he watched as she took a few deep breaths. He could tell that she believed him, but that did not make it easier to process. She would need time.

Before she could ask another question, however, his father spoke. "People aren't born in the ocean, Zac." He stated, his arms crossed against his chest. "This is…none of it makes sense! We all need to take a deep breath and think about this _rationally_!"

Zac could see that his mother was about to attempt to calm his father down once again but, before she could open her mouth, the teen decided to cut in.

Another wave of anger had washed over him as Rob had expressed his ongoing denial, and Zac was reaching the end of his rope.

Couldn't his father see how difficult this was for him? Didn't he understand how hard it was to say it over and over again?

" _Humans_ aren't born in the ocean." He began after letting out a frustrated sigh. "But that's the point, dad. That's what I'm trying to tell you. _I'm. Not. Human_!"

Zac was a bit surprised by how easily the words flowed out of him and his voice grew louder with each passing syllable. A few months ago, he had not been able to admit that without breaking down. But, apparently, he had come even further than he expected—it was just a matter of fact to him, now and he wanted the people he cared about to accept it too.

It annoyed him that his father didn't, and was (indirectly) accusing him of being a delusional liar.

"Zac, I'm a doctor! I have a degree in biology. And I've never—"

"You don't know everything!" Zac exclaimed, standing up for his seat. He could feel Mimmi try to comfort him with a soft hand on his back but he quickly stomped across the room. He was pacing now, angry, frustrated and scared. "You saw Mimmi—my biological sister— turn into a mermaid on your kitchen floor! I know that it is all a shock, but I am telling you the truth! What else do you need!?"

As he spoke, his eyes fell on a half-empty glass of water on his desk and he grabbed it hastily.

He had hoped that it wouldn't come to this.

He had hoped that he would never have to show them…

But perhaps he didn't have a choice.

"I know you wish it wasn't true!" He continued, eyes burning once again as he looked towards his father. Perhaps that was what was really going on here, he thought. Perhaps his father was so disgusted at the thought of having a merman for a son that he simply refused to acknowledge it. "And if you want me go, I'll go. But you have to know the truth."

Drawing a shaky breath, Zac dumped the contents of the glass onto his feet.

Mimmi let out a yelp of surprise and both she and his mother quickly bolted to their feet and rushed to his side. His mum placed a hand on his shoulder, a combination of fear and surprise written on her face.

"Zac—"

But before she could finish whatever she was going to say, Zac felt himself sink to the floor, no longer able to stand.

 _He was exposed._

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 **Part VII**

It was one of the most bizarre experiences of his life.

He was on the floor of his room, his back against his desk and his blue tail sprawled out in front of him. Mimmi and his mum were still on either side—his sister looked sympathetic and his mother's face was full of shock. Even though she was coping better than his father, he was sure that it was probably difficult for her to see him like this. No parent would have been unperturbed after witnessing their child sprout a tail.

As difficult and mortifying as it was to let them see him like this, he knew that there would be no denial now.

"Oh my god." He heard her whisper before crouching at his side. Zac could see that her hands were shaking and she tenderly reached forward to brush a stray strand of hair out of his eyes.

It was a relief that she had not run away screaming and was even still willing to touch him in this state.

"You've had to live with this secret, alone?" She asked, her voice still soft and her eyes still wide. "Oh sweetheart…"

"Not alone." Zac noted with a quick glance at his sister. "And I've only known for about a year. I've managed to cope."

She gave a slow nod as she continued to survey his new form. It was hard not to wither under her gaze and he could tell that his cheeks were burning with embarrassment. But he forced himself not to take the easy way out and use his invisibility to hide his shame.

"But…" She began again, her voice breaking. "You thought you'd have to leave if we found out?" His mum looked towards the backpack he had been frantically packing when they had arrived and he could see several tears escape.

Zac instantly felt a wave of both shame and relief wash over him. Perhaps he had been foolish not to put more faith in her— and he had never meant to hurt her feelings by implying that she would turn him away. He had just been so scared. So unsure.

And he had panicked.

"Maybe." He replied, looking away. "I don't know…"

Before he could offer more of an explanation, however, he felt her wrap his arms around him and pull him into a tight hug. Her grip was stronger than usual, as if she feared he might disappear at any moment.

It was an odd experience, having her hug him in this form. He had never imagined a moment like this but he was grateful for the comfort, no matter the circumstance.

"You'll always be safe here." His mum said gently as she finally released her grip. "Always."

Zac smiled for a moment but a quick glance across the room reminded him that he was not out of the woods yet. His father had not moved an inch since his shocking exposure and the man's face was completely unreadable.

He looked like stone. Firm and unmoving.

Zac had no idea what to think.

Feeling nervous, Zac brushed the last drops of water from his tail and used his warming powers to dry the residue that remained. He had always hated how small and helpless he felt as a merman on land and, now that the evidence had been presented, he was eager to return to a form that was more suitable to the environment.

Moments later, he felt the change overcome him and he watched as his legs reappeared. He stretched them for a second, as if checking that they were real, before shakily getting to his feet.

Now that he had symbolically re-entered the human world he felt more prepared to face the music. "Dad…"

He began, looking towards the man he had always respected and admired. It stung to think that his father might not be able to cope with what happened.

With what he was.

"Say something, please."

Zac looked at him with a combination of fear and hope. There was a long pause before Rob Blakely finally spoke.

"This explains so much." He stated, eyes glued to his son. "This entire year you've been so…distant. You refused to fish, camp, swim…I thought we were losing you. That I was losing you."

Zac swallowed, a lump forming in his throat.

His dad was right, his change had forced him to act strangely and he had felt guilty every time he had shot down his parents' plans and suggestions. He had been too afraid of exposure to be himself around them and he hated the dejected looks on they gave him every time he made up a lame excuse to avoid doing something with him because he was afraid of getting splashed.

"I…I don't want to go anywhere." Zac admitted, his voice wavering. "I'm still yours." He paused. "If you want me."

There was a sudden flash of movement and, before Zac knew what was happening, his father had bounded across the room and wrapped him in a warm hug. "Of course, Zac!" He exclaimed, grasping his son tightly. "You're our miracle. Our son. You always will be."

Zac nodded hastily as his father drew back, and he quickly wiped away his tears.

He could feel his mother's hand on his shoulder now, and he could see his sister approach from the corner of his eye.

There was still a long way to go. It would be a while before everything could sink in and all of their questions could be answered. He did not expect it to be a smooth ride but, at least now, he knew that they were all in it together.

For the first time in a long while, Zac felt safe.

He knew he would always be loved.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **EPILOGUE**

Zac heard the screen door slide shut as his father walked back into the yard. It was a Friday and the sun was beginning to grow dim.

They had just finished a large dinner (prawns again, of course) and he and his mum were sitting cross legged on the dock, watching the fading light dance against the water. Mimmi, who had joined them for the weekly meal, was now taking a swim and had started to pile small white shells beside him that she was planning to take home for Serena's bracelets.

"This one is perfect!" She exclaimed, adding another to the stack after holding it up for them to see.

"I'll have to ask Serena to make me a bracelet sometime." Zac's mum noted with a smile. "I do love shells, and she does such a beautiful job."

Zac looked up as his dad approached. He had been inside putting away the last of the dishes and it now appeared that he was ready for a swim.

Smiling, he placed his towel down on the nearest chair before pulling off his shirt and sitting on the dock's ledge.

"Anyone else up for a dip?" He asked, looking back and forth between his wife and son.

Lauren shook her head. "Not tonight. I feel a bit of a cold coming on and I think it is best if I stay dry. But you guys go ahead."

Zac's dad looked towards him.

"Sure." The teen shrugged before pushing himself towards the edge. Mimmi let out an exited "whoop" and his dad gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

A year ago, he never thought that a scene like this was possible. But, ever since that fateful night, things in the Blakely household had been so much more relaxed. More open. It had taken several weeks for his parents to get over the shock and for Zac to feel comfortable around them again. But, now that those hurdles had been overcome, he was extremely grateful.

There were no more secrets.

They still accepted him.

Still loved him.

And he had realized that he had been foolish to fear that they would not.

"What do you say, dad." Zac began playfully before lowering himself into the calm sea. "Up for a race?"

Mimmi laughed and his mum shook her head.

"Not with you lot!" Rob exclaimed before jumping in as well.

Now transformed, Zac leaned back and splashed his father lightly with his tail. "Ah, come on, you're no fun." He teased.

Rob chuckled and shook his head resolutely. "You'll have to settle for a nice, relaxing swim, I'm afraid."

The teen pretended to sigh in exasperation before shooting his dad a smile.

Mock annoyance aside, he realized that it was great to be here with four of the most important people in his life, relaxing on a warm Friday evening. Zac knew that his life would never be simple—never be normal— but that had been much easier to accept ever since he had let his parents in.

He knew that he could overcome anything, as long as they were at his side.

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 _A/N- Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what you think!_


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